Apparatus for testing flame safety lamps



Nov. 14, 1944. E E. QuENoN l l APPARATUS FOR TESTING FLAME SAFETY LAMPS Filed Feb. 27, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l i I M u@ W 9 i. fmaxmfmQ \2 I I l l E. E. QuENoN APPARATUS FOR TESTING FLAME SAFETY LAMPS Nov. 14, 1944.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR EUG/ve E. Quedo/Y Filed Feb. 27, 1943 ATTORNEY safety lamps by means of my apparatus is to rst place an unlighted lamp in each of the lamp holding devices, see that the stoppers 26 loosely fit in each end of the cabinet and that a paperdiaphragm is in position on the top, close and fasten the cabinet, open the gas cock until the water gage registers the predetermined pressure and, after an interval determined by trial, turn on the gas.

After the gas and air have been thoroughly mixed, this test gas flows into the lower chamber of my cabinet around the fonts of the lamps being tested, and being lighter than air, as well as being injected at a slight pressure, it flows intol and through the fla-mesafety lamps, thence through the inner and outer gauzes into the upper pant of my cabinet. This directed flow carries off the concentrated vapors of the fuel from freshly filled safety lamps, expelling the fuel vapors and the contained air from the cabinet, and establishes a substantially homogeneous .mixture of about 10 per cent gas and air within the lamps and cabinet. l

A gas flow of 3 minutes duration at a water gage pressure of about 10 inches was found to be suflicient in apparatus actually used. Then by means of the individual lamp igniters 3|, light each lamp in quick succession, noting the explosions within each lamp as seen through the small windows, and finally to determine whether or not the explosive mixture was properly proportioned, ignite the mixture surrounding the lamp by means of the handle 32 of the igniter 28. This last test also serves to consume the explosive mix-ture which would otherwise be released when the cabinet is opened. y

This cabinet is inexpensive to constnuct, more closely simulates actual conditions in a mine than same earlier types, operates with certainty, and can be understood and operated by anyone familiar with llame safetylamps.

The form which has been illustrated and described may obviously be modified and therefore is not intended to restrict any claims of this application.

What I claim is:

l.. Apparatus for -testing flame safety lamps which comprises an apertured partition detachably positioned to engage the central portion of at least one such safety lamp, means for conning an explosive gaseous medium on one side of said partition to surround one projecting portion of each lamp, means for coniining a similar explosive gaseous medium on the opposite side of said partition to surround the oppositely projecting portion of each lamp, means for introducing an explosive gaseous medium into one of said gas-conning means, a vent on the other gas-confining means for permitting escape of displaced air, means for releasing excess pressure from each of said gas-conning means, remotely-controlled means for ignitng each lamp, and remotely-controlled means for igniting explosive gas coniined on at least one side of said partition.

2. Apparatus for testing flame safety lamps which comprises an apertured partition detachably positioned to engage the central portion of at least one such safety lamp, means for conning an explosive gaseous medium about the upper portion of each lamp, means for conning a similar explosive gaseous medium about the lower portion of each lamp, means forV introducing an explosive gaseous med-lum into one of said gasconning means, means for permitting escape of displaced air from the other gas-confining means, means for releasing excess pressure from each of said gas-conning means, remotely-controlled means for igniting each lamp, and remotely-controlled means for igniting explosive gas confined about the upper portion of each lamp.

3. Apparatus for testing flame safety lamps which comprises a gas-confining cabinet having at least one detachable side, an apertured Ipartition positioned horizontally therein and vertically divided into at least two parts through each aperture, one part of said partition being attached to said cabinet and another part being attached to the detachable side of said cabinet whereby said partition defines an upper gas-confining Chamberland a lower gas-confining chamber, resilient sealing means in each aparture adapted to engage each lamp positioned therein whereby gas in one chamber can migrate to the other only by passing into and through 'a lamp,

means for introducing an explosive gas mixture into the lower gas-confining chamber, means for purging displaced gases from the upper chamber, means for indicating explosions and relieving excess pressures, igniting means provided with externally operated mechanism for separately lighting each lamp, and igniting means provided with externally operated mechanism for igniting gas in said upper chamber.

EUGENE E. QUENON. 

